Quotes from Learning Trust, Finding Treasure: Helping You Solve the Puzzle of Parenting

“Parenting is not a to-do list, though there are many things that we must do as parents. Neither is parenting a set method, though in the process of parenting you may choose to adopt certain methods. Parenting is also not a project with a beginning and an end. Parenting is a relationship. And relationships only succeed when we have a clear, true understanding of ourselves as well as the other person involved.”

“The goal of studying what God says about parenting is not to help you become a perfect parent, but rather to ensure you are on the right track.”

“Just remember that children are automatic learners, so if you are not intentionally teaching, then they will look to others for answers to their questions and learn from them.”

“If you are simply tolerant of your toddler, you may be surprised what you will tolerate in your teenager. In many cases you are not supposed to just ‘let it go’. You may need to let go of the right to lose your temper, but not of the responsibility to deal with your children’s behavior.”

‘If you do not expect your children to obey you, you are failing to teach them the one thing God has asked of them. In other words, you are not helping them to obey God.”

“Remember that punishment stops. consequences teach, and encouragement starts.”

“Daily choices reinforce and reflect the priorities of parents.”

“Enabling children leaves them at the mercy of their impulses and reinforces the belief that they do not have a choice in the way they behave. If their parent does not expect that they do better, they will not be motivated in any way to change and make smarter choices for themselves.”

“The truth is that not everything that feels good is good for us, and not everything that makes us happy is in God’s perfect plan for our life. Many things that appeal to us are sinful and therefore unhealthful for us. As a matter of fact, those things could even be destructive, ruining our life in the long run (Galatians 6:7-9).

“God’s authority is not abusive, nor is it intended to harm. It does not manipulate or take advantage, and it is never destructive. God’s intentions are for good, never for evil. And if God says “no”, it is because He knows it will lead to ultimate blessing and positive growth in our lives.”

“Children are actually happier in a home with expectations, boundaries, and consistent consequences. They thrive in this environment because they are secure, and they do not feel the burden of being in control.”

“If you can’t be at peace in the still and quiet, then your children won’t be able to discover the blessing of an ordinary day.”

“Children are not meant to raise themselves. They are not equipped to navigate the adult world or to know what is good, trustworthy, right, or healthy automatically. They are also not developmentally able to handle the black hole of the internet and social media, where there is no control.”

“When you are doing right by your children, there is rest and reward ahead. It is impossible to calculate the immense impact you are having as a parent when you choose to be a courageous Christ-follower.”

“God is always, always at work in your children, even if you do not see it. God has a plan for them that is beautiful in spite of the many times we stumble and fail as parents. And the things we miss? He sees them, and His plan is sufficient to rescue them and bring them back to Himself.”

“Fear is our enemy. It doesn’t make us better but rather twists our perspective, blocks our peace, and keeps us from hearing God’s voice. God is bigger than our fears and His plans can be trusted.”

“Your children will quickly figure out if your expectations are based on God’s Truth or on your own broken perspective of a certain subject.”

“Perfectionism hates interruptions, wants everything just so, and needs control in order to be comfortable.”

“It takes some people longer than others to realize it, but the joy of letting go, the beauty of a redeemed life, and the honesty of a surrendered heart are the stuff miracles are made of.”